Main » Cracksman wins the Champion Stakes in scintillating style at Ascot

Cracksman wins the Champion Stakes in scintillating style at Ascot

23 October 2018

"He saw that glimpse on the bend and dived for it".

"What a clever ride". If he'd tried to come round, he would have been put back in that box.

The trainer added: "He is a fabulous horse that didn't like the ground, Frankie said". We committed sooner than we wanted on ground we didn't like, but we did a bit of a hack canter.

"It's his last race and let's hope he can do it".

"We will keep an eye on him and make a final decision as close as we can to when he has to fly, but John has said he would not run Roaring Lion if the track came up sloppy", Redvers said.

"The ground is in pristine condition, although yes it's too slow for him. He deserves to be favourite and goes there with a great chance".

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Stradivarius, the champion stayer, stays in training and will bid to repeat this year's success in the inaugural Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers' Million.

"He is a hugely talented horse and he showed it again today and I'm sure he will be off to stud now". The victor of a £1 million bonus for winning the season's four top staying races, including the Ascot Gold Cup, Stradivarius's biggest challenge will come from Ireland.

"Obviously Ryan [Moore, riding Flag Of Honour, who made much of the running] was the one to beat".

Cracksman, though, produced the most scintillating performance, one his peerless sire Frankel - who also won two races at Champions Day (2012/13) - would have been proud of as he surged clear to win by six lengths, making up for his disappointing run at Royal Ascot in June.

"When he's in the zone, he's a very good horse". I got out of that pocket. "He was sleepy going to post - like Roaring Lion, not switched on - but if you light him up then he takes off". In fairness, he answered every call, and I wouldn't have done it if I didn't have that much horse. And it's the same, too, if you were to opt, not unreasonably, for champion stayer Stradivarius. "What a season it has been for him". "He is all heart, this horse".